Survey of Women's Experiences of HG - Results

The results were presented at the Pregnancy Sickness Support conference 2013. A summary is available on the PSS website MOH Conference presentation

The full results are given in documents 'OHARA 2012 Womens experiences of HG'

Abstract

An online survey on the website www.pregnancysicknesssos.co.uk
was conducted between June 2011 and December 2012 in which women were asked to
self report their experience of Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). 114 women,
predominantly from the United Kingdom, completed the survey reporting on a
total of 229 pregnancies in which they had HG. Of those women who had had more
than one pregnancy (75), 68% had had HG in every pregnancy. There was a small association
with female fetus and 35% of respondents had a maternal relative with HG.
Previous awareness of HG was low (26%), the majority reported low awareness
amongst family and friends and a quarter reported lack of sympathy amongst
employers. There is a peak in diagnosis between 7-8 weeks of pregnancy, with
most women suffering for fewer than 4 weeks before diagnosis. 73% had been
admitted for fluids, 40% of these as emergencies. 94% had taken antiemetic
medications, the mean number of antiemetics tried was 2.5. The most widely used
was cyclizine and the most effective was ondansetron. The only
non-pharmacological remedy which was widely effective was rest. Ginger was
cited by no respondents as being helpful and seabands by only 5%. The mean week
of improvement in symptoms was 21 weeks and the mean week by which symptoms had
stopped was 36. This reflects the finding that symptoms lasted until birth in
68% of pregnancies. Women's experiences of GP treatment was extremely varied
from excellent to poor. In UK-based women only, women encountered GPs who were
unsympathetic (51%), not knowledgeable (52%) and unwilling to prescribe
medication (49%). Women expressed distress at health care professionals who
trivialised their symptoms, simply did not believe them or attributed them to
mental health issues. Women described HG as lonely, awful and horrific. They
said that what would have improved their experience was more support from and
education amongst health care professionals, emotional support and better medication.

If you wish to use any results for further research or education, please contact the author.